The present invention relates to cargo transportation. More particularly, the present invention relates to facilities for assisting in the loading and unloading of cargo from a vehicle.
Movable cargo beds are known in the art. Current designs, however, are complicated and do not serve well in professional or personal delivery vehicles. Delivery vehicles for mail and parcels present unique challenges for movable cargo trays because they are covered vehicles that require a balance between maximizing the amount of cargo to be stored in the vehicle while allowing a simple convenient mechanism with which an operator can remove cargo easily. Complicated structures occupy too much space in the vehicle that could otherwise be available for cargo. In addition, the only anticipated access point to the cargo area of such a vehicle is the rear access door. Any movable tray, thus, should allow the operator to selectively move the tray from this access door to any desired position relative to the vehicle.
It would be desirable to provide a movable cargo tray apparatus with a design for use in a delivery vehicle that can be moved to a selected position by an operator from a convenient access point of the vehicle. Furthermore, it will be desirable to provide a movable cargo tray apparatus that will removably lock in the selected positions so the operator can easily load or unload cargo from the tray.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a vehicle having a movable cargo tray apparatus for the floor of the vehicle. The apparatus comprises a base, bearings, a pair of longitudinally extending mounting rails and at least one stop. The base has spaced apart longitudinally extending sides and ends extending therebetween. The bearings extend from the sides of the base. The pair of mounting rails are spaced apart and attached to the floor of the vehicle. Each of the mounting rails faces one of the sides and each has a plurality of apertures disposed therethrough spaced apart along same. The stop extends from at least one of the laterally extending sides. In addition, the stop engages the rail and selectively extends through at least one of the apertures.
The movable cargo tray apparatus may provide a plurality of wheels in addition to the frame, at least one stop, and laterally extending mounting rails. The frame has spaced apart longitudinally extending sides and ends extending therebetween. The wheels extend from the sides of the frame. The stop extends from at least one of the laterally extending sides. The mounting rails are spaced apart and attached to the floor of the vehicle. Each of the rails are facing one of the sides. In addition, each of the rails comprise a first portion configured to receive the wheels, and a second portion configured adjacent the stop. Furthermore, the rails have a plurality of spaced apart apertures disposed therethrough configured to selectively receive the stop.
The movable cargo tray apparatus may further provide a base frame, a plurality of wheels, a pair of pins, and a pair of longitudinally extending mounting rails. The base frame has spaced apart longitudinally extending sides and ends extending therebetween. The longitudinally extending sides have front, intermediate and end portions. The plurality of wheels have at least one pair extending from each of the front intermediate and end portions of the sides. Each of the pins extend from one of the laterally extending sides. The pair of longitudinally extending mounting rails are spaced apart and each comprise a channel rail portion and a stop rail portion. The channel rail portion is configured to receive the wheels and comprises a longitudinally extending base, a longitudinally extending side wall upwardly extending therefrom, and a longitudinally extending cover substantially parallel to the base. The stop rail portion is configured to engage the pins and comprises a longitudinally extending side wall extending upwardly from the cover and includes at least one aperture disposed therethrough configured to selectively receive the pins.
A vehicle having a means for storing and moving cargo may also be provided. The means for storing and moving cargo comprises the following: a means for supporting cargo; a means for moving the means for supporting cargo; a means for restricting movement of the means for supporting cargo between first and second positions; and a means for selectively stopping the means for supporting cargo at said positions.
A method for storing and moving cargo from one portion of a vehicle to the other may further be provided. The method comprises: providing a support upon which cargo is stored; providing longitudinally extending rails attached to the vehicle along which the support selectively travels; selectively disengaging a stop mechanism that is coupled to the support and engagable with the rails; selectively moving the support to a plurality of locations along the rails; and selectively engaging the stop mechanism at one of the plurality of locations along the rails.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.